Treasure in Earthen Vessels

12/30/2006

When it comes to nurturing others spiritually, how can we feed others when we need feeding from other people from the Word of God and we need to grow spiritually first?

God’s plan is treasure in earthen vessels. Do you know what that means? That means that if you want God’s treasure you need God’s people. It’s not a choice between the two. If I want to grow spiritually I need the gifts, wisdom, life and the love of others. If I want to nurture my children they also need Silas, Timothy and Paul in their lives—not just me, their daddy. I think I’m as capable of raising a child as most people, but I am in no way capable of showing my children the whole purposes and gifts of God, because I don’t have all of the gifts of Jesus.

Because your children are in need of nurturing and because you need to grow spiritually, that’s why you need brothers and sisters in your life. It’s not that you grow first and then help others grow after that. It happens all at the same time and is part of the same thing. As you squish the bubbles together we’re inspired to pray and read more. Brothers share with me things I hadn’t seen and I would never have seen by myself.

I see the balance. Is that what you mean, balance?

No balance! Full out crazy for God! Balance is a bad word. No balance. Totally whacked out for Jesus.

The false paradigm we’ve been told about what God expects of us can raise the false question, “How can I feed people when I’m hungry myself? I’m the ‘pastor’ so I’m the one who is supposed to feed people.” In reality, Jesus is the one who feeds both me and you, so we’re all looking to Jesus our Shepherd. He’s the Good Shepherd and He feeds the sheep. We’re all looking to Him and we help each other with the things that we’ve been nourished by. If you think it’s “up to you” to feed everyone then you have a big problem, especially if you are hungry. And you probably have a bigger problem if you think you’re “full” and capable of doing it. The point is that you can start over and we can all share the things that we have been nourished by. Then we can relax. We can feed and find food from Heaven and share that with one another. It’s not that we are less responsible with one another; it’s just that He’s the source, not us.

In addition, His way of bringing us to the highest place and sharing Jesus with others is to do it with other brothers. If I think it’s “my ministry” it’s like wearing a heavy wet coat. Eventually the fatigue or the pride begins to consume us. But if we’re all brothers amongst brothers, there’s teamwork and we decide to go talk to some others about Jesus. Some say, “Maybe now isn’t a good time. Let’s spend some time praying and being together in the Scriptures instead.” And then later on we all say, “Let’s go now.” There’s teamwork in the whole thing instead of “my ministry” and “my responsibility.” His yoke is easy, His burden is light. Maybe the peace comes from getting rid of all of “my” stuff and now it’s “our” stuff. The hand doesn’t say to the eye, “I have no need of you.” Peace comes from doing things with brothers and having their input. Sometimes I’m quiet and they speak. Sometimes it’s the other way around. Nobody is trying to be important. Nobody is trying to have a ministry. We’re just all in love with Jesus and in love with each other and then it gets very simple and easy.

•  Treasure in Earthen Vessels